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. 2022 Jun 8;14(6):1248.
doi: 10.3390/v14061248.

Feline Panleukopenia Outbreaks and Risk Factors in Cats in Animal Shelters

Teresa Rehme  1 , Katrin Hartmann  1 , Uwe Truyen  2 , Yury Zablotski  1 , Michèle Bergmann  1
Affiliations

Feline Panleukopenia Outbreaks and Risk Factors in Cats in Animal Shelters

Teresa Rehme et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

(1) Background: This study aimed to determine the risk factors for outbreaks of feline panleukopenia in shelters. (2) Methods: Four shelters (A−D) with 150 cats were included. Fecal samples were analyzed by parvovirus real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), including culture and sequencing of qPCR-positive samples. Information on cats, husbandry, hygiene, and infection management was evaluated to determine risk factors for feline panleukopenia and parvovirus shedding by logistic regression. (3) Results: Feline panleukopenia occurred in 28.0% (42/150) of cats (0 in shelter D). Shedding was found in 48.7% (73/150) (A: 21/73; B: 29/73; C: 7/73; D: 16/73). Of 73 qPCR-positive fecal samples, 65.8% (48/73) were culture-positive; sequencing revealed feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) isolates in 34/48 samples and vaccine virus isolate in 14/48; canine parvovirus was not detected. Presence of feline panleukopenia was significantly more likely in cats from shelter A (p < 0.05), unvaccinated cats (p < 0.001), and young cats (4 weeks to 2 years; p = 0.008). Parvovirus shedding was significantly more common in young cats (p < 0.001), cats with feline panleukopenia (p = 0.033), and group-housed cats (p = 0.025). (4) Conclusions: Vaccination is the most important measure to reduce the risk of feline panleukopenia in shelters. Risk of parvovirus shedding is especially high in young, group-housed cats.

Keywords: CPV; FPV; canine parvovirus; feline panleukopenia virus; shedding; shelter management; shelter medicine; vaccination; vaccine virus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of cats with feline panleukopenia in shelter A, B, C, and D with 95% confidence intervals. In shelter A, 59.6% (95% CI: 45.4–72.3%) of cats, in shelter B, 17.5% (95% CI: 9.2–30.6%) of cats, in shelter C, 25.4% (95% CI: 11.6–47.0%) of cats, and in shelter D, 0% (95% CI: 0–19.4%) of cats had feline panleukopenia. Univariate Bayesian logistic regression revealed that cats from shelter A had a significantly higher risk for feline panleukopenia in comparison to cats from shelter B, C, and D (A/B: p < 0.001, OR: 6.96; A/C: p = 0.044, OR: 4.32; A/D: p = 0.014, OR: 167.46). Animal shelter D had no history of feline panleukopenia within the last 24 months and was included for comparative reasons.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of cats with fecal parvovirus shedding in shelter A, B, C, and D with 95% confidence intervals. In shelter A, 44.8% (95% CI: 31.8–58.6%) of cats, in shelter B, 60.0% (95% CI: 45.9–72.7%) of cats, in shelter C, 34.0% (95% CI: 17.6–55.3%) of cats, and in shelter D, 47.0% (95% CI: 31.4–63.2%) of cats had fecal parvovirus shedding. Fecal parvovirus shedding was detected in shelter D, although no cases of feline panleukopenia were observed in this shelter. Sequencing revealed fecal shedding of vaccine virus in shelter D (Table 1). Univariate Bayesian logistic regression revealed that fecal parvovirus shedding was not significantly associated with the shelter from which the cats originated (B/A: p = 0.497; B/C: p = 0.220; B/D: p = 0.152).
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